Christmas Eve's Gone By

I have been trying to remember the Christmas Eve's of my past (I sound like I should be in a Christmas Carol). When I was a kid, Christmas Eve was a quiet evening, my family celebrated Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve my father would come home from work at about 3pm and say, "Ok, let's go shopping for mommy's Christmas presents". So me and I think my sister would go to Macy's or Sears with my dad and help him pick out PJ's, a robe, slippers and maybe some jewelry. I then remember watching the Yule Log burn on Channel 9. I said it was quiet.
When I married Ed, I became a part of the Clark/Oswald Christmas Eve celebration. There were lots of presents, good OD's to eat (swedish meatball, little pizza's, little hot dogs, homemade cookies etc) and even for a year or 2 wild dancing to the 12 Days of Christmas (Pammie especially loved the crazy hand motions for each day). Then a few years ago, the Clark Christmas Eve celebration abruptly ended. Peg said it was too much work, we offered to help, but she declined to continue what I think had been going on for quite a few years before I came in. Pammie was quite upset that this traditon was ending. That first Christmas Eve without a place to go, I felt a little lost. We ended up going to a Christmas Eve kids service with our nieghbors (Jackie and Raul) and then going back to their house for a glass of wine. I thought, Ok, maybe we will do this now for Christmas Eve, but in the spring Jackie and Raul moved to Panama, so that ended that.
Then Pammie said she would like to host Christmas Eve at her house. We said great! She and Jul prepared mostly the same food, we had a few less people, but instead of crazy dancing, we had many crazy dogs to occupy us. So we now had a new place for Christmas Eve. Steph, Nick and Chris and Eddie were always up for games and it was always a fun time.
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we sadly again find ourselves looking for the right place to be.
We (I actually) decided that we will go to Christmas Eve service at my church. We will sing Christmas Carols (I am sure I will cry), but it seems like the right place to be. Thank you Lord for always giving us a place to be when we feel lost.
Pammie this year talked about hosting this Christmas Eve. She had said she would cater food, because it would be easier and asked if we would come. I said "Pammie if you are hosting, I am coming".
I am grateful for the wonderful memories of Christmas Eve's gone by. Miss you, Auntie Pammie, Merry Christmas.

Love,

Auntie Eileen